


Azula's House of Cards

by kelsoE



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:15:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25267456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelsoE/pseuds/kelsoE
Summary: Azula is not a prodigy. She's mischievous without the devious, she's a flashy firebender lacking substance, and she's a hard worker so long as she's in public. But she is a princess, and she somehow has her father's support. Can this no-talent, lazy good-for-nothing win the throne through smoke and mirrors? Maybe with a little help from her friends.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

The sunlight stung against Azula’s skin. She took a break from her firebending kata, sitting in the shade of a willow. Prickly grass on her back, a cool breeze to take the edge off, all Azula needed was a book and some honey tea and things would be perfect. Honestly, why should she have to train like some lesser noble? She was a princess and if a situation called for a firebender Azula could just order a servant to do it for her. If anything, she should be practicing leading. That was what she was born to do.

“Azula,” her instructor barked. “What are you doing? Get back to work!”

Azula rolled over so she wouldn’t have to look at the fat man’s two chins wobble as he yelled. She shouldn’t have to be confronted by his unsightly appearance; sometimes she didn’t understand what father was thinking.

“Mai Caldera is about your age, and I hear she can almost bend ligh…” Azula did her best to ignore her fat instructor’s crude drivel, instead focusing on the rustling of the leaves above. In only a few short weeks Azula was going to begin going to school! There she’d meet other children her age, and it would be ever so much fun to order them around. Why, she already had several exercises for her future sycophants prepared.

“...Your father told me that tomorrow he will be monitoring your progress,” her instructor finally finished, sighing. Azula bolted up, and started going through the kata.

“Tomorrow? Really?” This time would be different. This time she’d prove that she was better than Zuzu, the more worthy heir, worthy even for Father’s attention. “Give me the advanced sets!”

“You are not ready for them.”

“I am a princess!” Azula narrowed her eyes, and grinned savagely. She loved when uppity servants didn’t know their place, she loved disci- And she’d fallen on her face midway through the kata. She got up and stared at her leather boots. Each word felt like poison, but she spit them out because they were necessary. “How does the set go again?”

The fat instructor fluidly lunged, and a small flame spat from his fist. He did a couple squats, more fire, it was all very basic. And yet it was beyond Azula. She tried, but there was always something wrong. A misplaced step, an illformed fireball that simply came out as smoke, no matter how hard, no matter how long Azula tried, the firebending would not come to her. It was infuriating!

“Calm yourself Azula!”

“Father will call me an embarrassment again,” Azula said, scowling. “He always says Zuzu was born lucky, while I was lucky to be born! It isn’t fair!”

“Zuko trains hard, Azula. Everyday. He is no more talented than you are, simply more disciplined.”

“But you are my instructor,” Azula said, rolling her eyes. Once she had the fat man’s attention she started inspecting her fingernails. “If father finds my performance unsatisfactory it will be your responsibility. Show me a shortcut, and don’t try to feed me platitudes about there being no easy-way-outs in firebending. There is always an easy-way-out.”

The instructor sighed. “Let me teach you a trick Azula. Hold up your hand and make a flame.”

Azula’s palm ignited, and her small red flame flickered in the wind.

“Now hyperventilate. Good, now channel it into the flame.”

Her eyes widened, as the red flame turned blue. She had never seen such a thing. Not from Zuzu, not from Father, not from her cooky uncle, not even from grandfather Azulon. “At last my talent reveals itself. I am a prodigy!”

“You? A prodigy?” The stupid fat instructor burst into laughter, his pudgy ugly face turning bright red as if he was having a heart attack. He clutched his chest and bent over, struggling to breath over his dumb giggling. “No, no, you’re still a lazy good-for-nothing. That’s just a trick I used to woo the ladies when I was a soldier. It is useless in combat, but hopefully the flashy colors will distract your father from your mediocrity. I just know the fool will blame me for your shortcomings. Parents always do.”

_ Of course _ , Azula thought as she stared at the blue fire,  _ I am not special. I am not strong. I’m just little, weak, and dumb _ . She wandered off, bored with firebending and through with the fat instructor’s shameful insolence.

“Where are you going? We’re not done!”

Yes. They were. Azula knew that a few hours training would do her no good. Either Father would be fooled by the blue fire or he wouldn’t. Making her subpar skills slightly sharper was an exercise in sheer futility.

She heard sweet murmurings over the courtyard, by their little koi pond. Mother was reading Zuzu a story, as if he was still a dumb little baby. Huh. That made sense actually. Azula hovered behind evergreen shrubs, barely concealed. Mother had Zuzu wrapped up in a big hug, as she read from a large leather book. She couldn’t quite hear what they were saying, but her mother’s warm whispers put her at ease, helped her not worry so much about the examination Father would be giving her tomorrow.

For a moment, she entertained the thought of it being her under her mother’s protective arm, instead of stupid Zuzu. She wouldn’t have to worry about Father’s ires, Father’s moods, because Mother would always be there to protect her. To lo-

Quack, quack! A flock of annoying turtle-ducks swam into the koi pond, making a ruckus, ruining Mother’s precious storytime. But rather than punishing the insolent beasts, or at the very least scaring them off, Zuzu just pointed at them and laughed. Of course he would, to him Mother’s attention was expected, routine. It wasn’t fair. Not only did he have Mother’s love, he had Father’s favor as well. Just because he was a better firebender, just because he paid attention to their boring tutors’ tedious lectures? Azula always wanted to sit still, always planned to stay focused, but she always… It was their fault for being so drawl anyways, so why did Father always blame her?

Zuzu got everything. Zuzu was good at everything. Azula always got the short end of the stick. Agni’s ashes, it wasn’t fair. Mother must have been spending time with Zuzu, to spite Azula for being so weak despite being a princess. That must have been it, this was all a scheme to motivate Azula to prove her worth. But how? How could she prove she was better than Zuzu?

And would those stupid turtle-ducks cease their incessant quacking? Would they shut up! Didn’t they know their princess needed quiet? A spark, a flash of inspiration appeared in Azula’s mind, and she scraped and clawed at the impression to try to make sense of it. Father complaining about Uncle, how he never did what needed to be done. Remember Azula, rarely is the difference between a good ruler and a poor one intelligence. Nor honor. Nor work-ethic, nor perspective, nor realism, none of the things those academics who have never governed so much as a platoon so love to propose. The difference between a good ruler and a bad ruler is will. A strong ruler has the will to do what must be done.

She looked at a rock by her feet. She looked at the turtle-ducks in the pond. Wasn’t it great when things aligned so perfectly?

“What are you doing young lady?” Mother barked. Zuzu was lying on the ground, covered in swampy pond water, while the dumb turtle-ducks were honking and trying to flee from the great Azula! What a lovely image. She tried to crystalize it in her mind, so she could remember it for all time.

“The turtle-ducks were being so loud,” Azula said reasonably. “It was ruining your story. I was helping.”

Mother frowned. “If you wanted to hear my story you could have come closer, or asked me to read louder.”

“I am a princess,” Azula said. “Those beasts are my subjects. They displeased me, so I forced them to be quiet. Like a strong leader.”

“Go to your room.” Mother pinched her nose, and murmured under her breath, “Where did I go wrong? How have I raised such a monster?”

Flames leapt to Azula’s fingers. After all her help, this was the thanks she received? “How dare you talk to me like that, Ursa! You can’t give me orders! I am a princess, and you are nothing more than a peas-”

Mother slapped her. She’d slapped her? Mother had slapped her? Azula ran to her room crying. Nobody loved her. Her Father thought she was worthless. Her Mother thought she was a monster. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair!

A knock on her door. It was Mother. “Azula?”

Azula said nothing, but a shard of humanity inside her was hopeful. Maybe Mother was here to apologize.

“We need to talk.”

That ungrateful, little… Azula would not open the door. No matter what Mother said, no matter what platitudes she spewed, Azula knew the truth. Mother thought she was a monster, and anything else that came from that dirty peasant’s mouth was a lie.

The next day Azula went over the firebending sets she’d been learning as Father hovered over her with an irritated expression. His foot tapped the silt soil subconsciously, and he kept checking the length of his shadow, it was obvious that he felt this was a waste of his time. That Azula was a waste of his time. She tried to put some extra energy into her next lunge, but the fireball that should have burst from her jab came out as a pathetic puff of smoke. It got in her eyes, into her lungs, causing her to choke on her own failure and disgrace. Father’s eyes narrowed, and he folded his arms. No! Azula tried to make her next lunge more forceful, tried to flow from move to move more quickly, anything to make her seem like less of a disappointment. But her feet got tangled and she tumbled onto the dusty silt.

Dirty particles of dust got underneath her silks and mixed with her sweat to cover her in filth. She pounded a fist on the ground, and tried to keep the tears in. She would not cry in front of Father! She had that much control, if nothing else.

“I see,” Father said. “That you continue to disgrace me with-”

“We have been working on something new, my Prince. For Firelord Azulon. That is why she struggles,” the fat instructor lied smoothly, helping Azula to her feet. He wrapped her in a painful embrace and hissed one word into her ear. “Blue!”

Azula nodded. It was the only option left to them. While lying to Father was slightly easier than lying to Mother, that only meant that it was possible. Rarely was she able to achieve such a feat, and never in anything as important as firebending. Father loathed weaklings who pretended to have strength. She would lose the potential to ever gain favor from Father if her deception was discovered.

But Azula was weak. Father would only ever accept the strong. It was inevitable that she would have to lie, to gain her birthright as the ruler of the world. And this lie would be especially compelling.

Azula went through the rest of the set, moving as slowly and carefully as a first time firebender, but over oxygenated the fire, turning it into a flashy, brilliant blue. She could tell why her instructor had laughed at the suggestion that this made her special in any way, it was quite easy to pull off. While it did make the fire burn slightly hotter, it took twice as long to generate the flame. Blue fire was useful for showy displays, and utterly impractical for combat.

Father’s lips pulled upwards. His golden eyes did not blink as he watched Azula move from form to form, his attention did not waver in the slightest. Her movements became quicker, more self-assured as she felt Father’s approval seep into her, warming her like a hot cup of honey tea. She completed the rest of her kata, and two others which Father made her perform, flawlessly. Well, perhaps a hair out of place, which was obviously satisfactory. “Enough,” Father said. “Azula come.”

She flinched as his hand came down, and blinked when it simply rubbed her hair. “This is what I expect from my daughter,” Father said approvingly, perhaps proudly even. Yes, yes! She preened under his hand, under his affection. Finally, she was getting what was owed to her. Mother, servants, and especially stupid Zuzu, they all should have spoken to her with the same respect that Father honored her with.

“You have been born with a gift Azula. Do not waste it.” His eyes grew cold, and his tone became harsh and dismissive. “But your set was still… Imperfect. You are still too weak to be of value.” He began to walk from the silt practice field, back to the royal chambers.

For a moment Azula stood, as if encased in ice. She had possessed Father’s favor, if only for a moment, and to have it ripped from her after such a brief taste was intolerable. She tugged on Father’s robe, stopping him in his tracks.

He turned, his face a storm, and he looked down at her like she was a peasant who’d spat in his face. “Explain.”

“He won’t let me do the advanced sets,” Azula said, pointing at the fat instructor. The fat in her instructor’s face jiggled as his smug expression morphed into one of pure terror. “He holds me back.”

“Nonsense,” the fat instructor said hurriedly. “My Lord, she does not take firebending seriously. She lacks the talent, the work-ethic, the maturity-”

“Daddy,” Azula said, thinking back to the frustration she’d felt only minutes earlier, when she’d fallen during her kata, and Father had looked down his nose at her humiliation. She let tears form in her eyes, and let out a sob. “Sometimes he looks at me funny daddy. He… Sometimes he… Touches- I don’t think he wants me strong. He wants me weak and helpless.”

“Nonsense!” The fat instructor let out a nervous laugh. “Surely you know she is lying. You’ve been around her, you know-”

“SILENCE!” Ozai roared. His face was twisted in fury, and Azula danced behind his knee so he wouldn’t see her giggle. “Ukano, you have made a prodigy weak. There is no greater crime. This will not go unpunished.”

Father had called her a prodigy? Yes, Azula smirked, she liked the sound of that. She  _ loved _ the sound of that. She  _ needed _ the sound of that.

Guards flanked the fat instructor and began to pull him away. To the dungeon? To the torture chambers? To execution? The possibilities were as endless as they were exciting. Father was still watching, but Azula couldn’t help herself. She ran to the fat instructor, happy tears blurring her vision, and whispered into his ear, “Pretty good for a lazy good-for-nothing, huh? You’re about to be beheaded while I’m destined for the throne.”

She left the training ground smirking, leaving Father to complete the deed while she tied up loose ends. Sneaking from the Royal Palace was a trivial thing for her. Spying had always come naturally, and she’d had the imperial soldiers’ rotations memorized since she could walk. Soon she found herself in halls of Capitol City’s only library. Bookshelves containing scrolls surrounded her, as tall as mountains, and as numerous as the stars in the sky. She required assistance. She waited patiently in line, until a librarian was available for her. “Bring me all scrolls that mention blue fire, and another about air bending.” Azula briefly flashed her fire hairpin, and the librarian’s eyes widened.

“Yes your highness,” the librarian bowed, and soon a pile of scrolls had been collected on top of a mahogany desk.

Azula unrolled one, until she found the information she was looking for.  _ Blue fire _ , the scroll read,  _ can be achieved by an imbalance in yin energy in the breath. It is quite beautiful, and can be used ornamentally in firework displays. It is unsuited for combat. Good for teaching beginning firebenders… _

“Reprint this,” Azula ordered. She had seen a printing press, so she knew they had the capability. “The passage on blue fire will be erased, and replaced with a statement on how it is rarely seen, and a sign of a firebender blessed by Agni.”

The librarian winced, but bowed. Azula smirked. The peasant knew her place. “It will be done.”

“Your name?” Azula asked, tucking an airbending scroll in her robes.

“Michi,” said the librarian.

“I will be back in a month to review your progress. Do not disappoint me Michi.”

It was time to go back to the royal palace. Once she had confirmed that the peasant woman had completed altering the files, Azula would simply plant the airbending scroll on Michi, and send one of the Generals that frequented the palace to arrest her. It would be simple to convince grandfather that the librarian was an escaped air nomad that had slipped the cleansing, and arrange her execution. Once that was finished, there would be no records in the Fire Nation which could disprove Azula’s claims.

She smirked.

She would convince the world that its princess was a perfect prodigy.

XOXOXOX

**Author’s Note:** While I plan on continuing this story for at least one more chapter, I’m launching it in direct competition with another,  _ Misplaced Glory _ . Leave a kudos if you’d like me to prioritize this story, or read  _ Glory  _ and if you like it better leave a kudos on that one. Or do nothing. Even just reading the story contributes.


	2. Chapter 2 - A Tactical Mastermind (Part 1)

“What is that?” Father asked, casting a shadow on her mahogany desk. Azula flinched, and covered up her essay. “The instructors tell me you have been earning full marks, that you have been an exemplary pupil, but I do not trust their evaluations. I must see evidence of your performance myself. Remove your hand.”

“It isn’t finished,” Azula said. Frustratingly, her voice came out weak and defensive. There was no need for that. Her paper would be brilliant upon completion, and dazzle Father with its innovation and creativity. She was a prodigy now, acknowledged by her instructors, and everything she did was perfect. “After class we are to create plans for the siege of Ba Sing Se.”

Father took a step back, the candlelight casting an upward shadow which obscured his expression. “Why have you drawn a drill?”

“When I am finished, I will reveal my tactics,” Azula reiterated patiently. But still, she felt Father’s disapproval radiating off him. “They will be so much better than fuddy-duddy Uncle’s ridiculous siege. Perhaps you can show it to Grandfather and prove how outdated his royal cookyness is. Then he will no longer be able to deny the truth.”

“Perhaps,” Father said neutrally. “It was clever of you to try to put me in conflict with my brother. I will do the same. Zuko will be writing a proposal of his own, about the invasion of Ba Sing Se. When you have both completed your plans, I will review them. We will see which heir is more cunning. Do not disappoint me Azula.”

Azula smirked as Father left her study room. It would be an ideal opportunity to humiliate stupid Zuzu in front of everyone, and prove once more that she was the greatest heir. But first she’d need to complete her plan. Ba Sing Se was surrounded by solid granite walls as tall as volcanoes, which could be rebuilt in a matter of moments by the earthbenders within. To penetrate such a wall there was only one solution, a giant drill. She reviewed her plan, looked at her vivid diagram, searching for any potential flaws.

Yes, yes of course! She added some wheels to her drill, and decided it needed more flutes. Oh, and wouldn’t it look sharp if it were red like fire? She didn’t have the red ink for it though. Huh, the cabinet’s compartment only had black ink, where was the color? Where were her coloring tools? Why hadn’t a servant organized this for her? She grinned. Such insubordination could not be tolerated. She skipped outside to mete out punishment.

The next day proved once again the inadequacy of academic learning. The teacher droned on and on about… Azula peeked at a neighboring girl’s notes, Sozin’s Laws of Planetary Motion. In what world would it be useful for royalty, or anyone else for that matter, to be able to predict the movement of a planet? What were the possible applications for anticipating the motions of some asteroid or comet? None, it was useless, and this was a waste of time. When she was Firelord she would have the skinny teacher executed for this affront. Meanwhile, stupid Zuzu got to practice combat with swords. It wasn’t fair, she actually liked the new instructor father had given her for physical domination. He was an acrobat from the circus who had taught her how to do cartwheels, and had promised to teach her to do handstands today. Instead of frolicking under Agni’s light she was stuck in a smelly old classroom, listening to some old hag’s useless drivel. Perhaps the worst thing about school was how boring and pathetic the other students were. They sat two girls to a table, and the girl beside Azula was quiet, with gold eyes, pale skin, and black hair, who seemed frightened of her own shadow. Of course, that description fit every student, or at least almost every-

“Your aura is really cloudy today Miss Yukari! It would most likely be best if you stopped teaching!” A cheerful girl with gray eyes told the skinny teacher. The girl beamed at the woman. “Probably forever. Have you considered being a consort, a wetnurse, or maybe a housewife? It’s like, much more you, you know?”

“Fingers,” said the skinny instructor, not looking up from her textbook. She procured a ruler from her red fanny pack and smacked it loudly against the desk twice. The girl beside Azula flinched. Strange, did the simpleton not realize that it would be the disruptor being punished, not her? Well, Azula was under no such illusion. She leaned in, wondering whether the gray-eyed girl’s fingers would snap, or perhaps the ruler would break the skin and there would be a lovely pool of blood, oh she just couldn’t wait to see that pretty face warped by agony, what fun! The girl held out her fingers, which were disgustingly callused along the edges of her short nails, with that nauseating grin still plastered onto her face. The teacher brought the ruler down, and everyone in the class gasped.

“Too slow, too slow,” the gray-eyed girl said, giggling. She had pulled her hands back at the last moment. There was a gash where the ruler had struck wood. Azula smiled. Perhaps she would finally get to view a flogging! The school had promised that misbehavior would not be tolerated. Yes, school could be quite interesting indeed! “The trick is to slide your hand down the ruler as you swing. You can generate a lot more tor- Your aura is really dark Miss Yukari! You should really fix that if you ever want to find a husband. Stress can make you breakout!”

From there the skinny teacher lost her nerve. She simply raised a painted eyebrow, and let the challenge to her dominance go unchecked. She continued her boring lecture, proving her lack of power and her own inconsequentiality. Azula looked to the winner of the power struggle, but the gray-eyed girl did not gloat in victory. She seemed disappointed in fact, like a rabbit-squirrel after Azula had captured its lettuce. Perhaps it was wise, but Azula did not respect such humility after a conquest. It reminded her too much of something Uncle would do. She could hear his cooky voice already: Azula, you must remember that the wise general treats her prisoners as she would her own soldiers, and soon they will become them. Traitorous words from a traitorous man, it implied that the Fire Nation could not dominate the world without help from Earth Kingdom soldiers, and besides, a defeated foe had already proven themselves unworthy. Their only remaining use was to be crushed beneath Azula’s heel.

“Miss Caldera,” the skinny teacher called, looking at the wispy partner of the gray-eyed girl. “If the distance between the comet and Agni are two million-”

The gray-eyed girl farted loudly, and the rest of the girl’s burst into laughter at the crass behavior. The skinny teacher had finally been pushed too far, and lunged at the gray-eyed girl, trying to yank her long ponytail. But the girl proved as agile as an airbender, dodging and weaving around the teacher’s pitiful attempts to corral her. The girl was smiling broadly, as she and the teacher danced atop a desk. The classroom, so silent a few moments ago, was buzzing with energy. Smiles graced the faces of the girls around Azula, except for the wispy girl who the teacher had called on, she looked absolutely miserable.

“An A,” the skinny teacher proclaimed, panting, her hands on her knees. The gray-eyed girl patted her shoulder, and giggled as she swayed away from a feeble grasp at her arm. “I promise an A to the young lady who can get Ty Lee outside, and restore balance to the classroom.”

The pathetic peasant beside Azula gasped, and sprinted at the miscreant with a sinister smile. As did the rest of the class, but for Azula and the wispy girl. Azula would observe their performance. Perhaps if one captured the rabbid chicken-monkey, they would be worthy of her favor. 

“Who are you the impulsive Ty Lat?” The gray-eyed girl twirled out of a nameless student’s grasp. “So predictable! Your aura gets all dark whenever you attack Seiko. Keep it bright next time!”

Azula inspected her fingernails. She decided the nail on her left pinky was slightly too long.

“You can’t expect to catch me like that Sakiko!” The gray eyed girl humiliated another student. “You’ve got to have a plan, you can’t just rush in like the impatient Ty Lao!”

“You,” Azula said to the wispy girl. “I require your hairpin to trim my fingernails.”

“Come on Manami, keep trying! Don’t give up like you’re the loser Ty Woo!”

The wispy girl’s eyebrows creased, but she handed over her hairpin. “Please give it back when you’re finished with it. It was my mother’s.”

“Haha! That was pretty good Homura, but just like mediocre Ty Liu, not quite good enough!”

Azula raised an eyebrow and inspected the pin. It was sharp like a needle. What had she been thinking? She couldn’t use this to trim her nail. Besides, her pinky nail had actually been perfect all along. She finally deigned to grace the embarrassment unfolding in front of her with her attention. Not even one student had managed to capture the target. She was done with this farce.

“Peasant,” Azula said sweetly. “You will leave the classroom.”

“If you can catch me,” the gray-eyed girl said with a grin. “But I won’t be negotiated with like the obedient Ty-”

“Or you can be executed,” Azula finished, twirling the pin between her fingers. “You are free to choose of course. I do try to be accommodating after all.”

The pin clattered on the ground, as the gray-eyed girl slunk out of the room, without a trace of her insufferable positivity. Azula crushed the pin beneath her boot and glanced at the wispy girl, who sighed and returned to her seat. No outbursts, no reaction, simple passive obedience. Good. That one knew her place. Perhaps she would be worthy of being Azula’s lackey. After more tests of loyalty of course.

Azula was on the edge of her seat for the rest of the class, waiting for the bell to ring. When it did, she gracefully strolled into the meadow outside, and identified the gray-eyed girl’s location. She waited for the rest of the students to tread down the stairs, out of sight, and found a good hiding place behind a rhododendron with pink flowers. Oh she couldn’t wait to find out how the gray-eyed girl would be punished. Azula had been yearning for this for quite some time. That girl had received several compliments for her looks, brought smiles to those around her, was always the center of attention, and was seemingly the most popular and beautiful girl in the entire class. After Azula of course.

Still, the gray-eyed girl was the closest thing to a rival Azula had at this pathetic school, and she couldn’t wait to witness her demise. She would be the first of Azula’s opponents to be crushed, and while it would be inconsequential by the end of her illustrious career, she would always look back at this moment fondly. As her first.

The skinny teacher walked out of the classroom grimly, and looked around, to ensure that she and the gray-eyed girl were alone in the grassy meadow. Azula trembled with excitement, but kept silent and still.

“What am I doing wrong?” Asked the skinny teacher defensively. Azula frowned. Where was the wrath, where was the strict disciplinarian she’d been promised? “Why are you being so disruptive Ty Lee? Sozin’s Laws are a perfectly valid subject, I don’t underst-”

“Maybe like, a hundred years ago,” said the gray-eyed girl, scoffing. Azula raised an eyebrow. Now this was an interesting development. The gray-eyed girl was talking down to the teacher. She had won the previous power struggle so it did follow a certain kind of logic. Perhaps the gray-eyed girl’s cheerful demeanor was an act, to hide a relentless desire for dominance which she could only share in private. Father had insisted that this was the case for everyone, but Azula hadn’t been able to quite believe him. “But why not go over universa-”

“What are you doing?” Asked the wispy girl, who Azula had established dominance over. How had she snuck up behind her? The presumptuous student probably desired another battle, to avenge her broken hairpin.

“No concern of yours peasant,” Azula snapped.

“I guess you’re right,” the wispy girl said dully, turning her silks silently, inconspicuously walking back to the city. The grass stalks didn’t even rustle, as she waded through them.

“Wait,” Azula said. “Your name.”

“You’ll probably forget it by tomorrow,” the girl said dryly, not even turning as she disappeared down the steps. “But it’s Mai Caldera.”

Surprisingly, Azula could remember the name from somewhere. It was probably unimportant, Azula decided. The wispy girl had the look of a highborn noble whose father was likely a general her uncle had mentioned in one of his stupid little anecdotes. The thing to focus on here, was that the wispy girl had passed yet another test of obedience. If she passed one more test, Azula would honor the girl by referring to her as Mai. Then the wispy girl would simply have to prove her usefulness, and Azula would take her on as a sycophant.

Now, back to the main event, the gray-eyed girl’s inevitable demise. But no, the skinny teacher and the gray-eyed girl were walking back into the classroom, talking about the movement of heavenly bodies. Azula shook her head. The skinny teacher should have removed the threat to her power swiftly and permanently. To do otherwise was folly.

**Author’s Note:** I’ll be posting Part 2 either tomorrow or on Monday, which will conclude this little mini story. Please leave a kudos if you enjoyed the chapter. Each kudos will give me motivation to continue the story and do so more quickly.


	3. Chapter 2 - A Tactical Mastermind (Part 2)

“I’m disappointed in all of you,” the skinny teacher told the class the next day, as she handed back their reports on Ba Sing Se. “Only two of you turned in anything worthwhile. It is clear to me that the majority of you hold no future in the military. You are an embarrassment to the Fire Nation.”

Azula made no effort to hide her paper. She’d received a 100 of course, the highest score in the entire class. The teacher had remarked that the plan was creative, as befitting a princess, and that the red would make the drill look fearsome to the cowardly earthbenders. Still, she couldn’t help but feel that something was off. She’d been awarded a 100 on every assignment, and as such, had devoted less and less time on them, using fewer words and more diagrams. But no matter what she did, she only received positive feedback from her teachers. Most likely it was because she was perfect, but she’d put more time and effort on similar reports with her tutors, and they had said that her work was not befitting a princess and strongly advised her from showing them to her father. Could a few months have made that large a difference?

“Remove your hand,” Azula told the girl who sat next to her. Shakily, the girl did as her princess commanded, revealing that she’d gotten a 29. The girl started to sob, and Azula wrinkled her nose. “Pathetic.” Azula did not bother to read the report. She’d look for superior efforts to judge the skinny teacher’s evaluation methods.

The crying girl next to her brightened. The gray-eyed dissident was making a scene again. She’d folded her report into a paper airplane, stood on her desk, and thrown it. Midway through its flight it flipped, and returned to her. How had she made it do that? The girl next to Azula folded her own report, and rushed to the desk where the gray-eyed girl was standing. Azula could not deny the appeal, some part of her wanted to engage in the childish behavior and prove that she could make the most dominant airplane. Still, such wildness was barbaric.

The skinny teacher flinched as her classroom fell to savagery. “How could you do that Ty Lee? You shouldn’t treat your hard work like it’s trash.”

“Hard work?” The gray-eyed girl asked, laughing. “I spent, like, five minutes jotting it down before class.”

“Five minutes?” Asked the skinny teacher despairingly. “I suppose that is impressive as well, in its own singularly unique way.”

As Azula conducted her investigation though, finding each score more pitiful than the last, she began to suspect that the other students had only spent five minutes on their reports as well. They were simply more circumspect, which perhaps made them wiser than the gray-eyed girl, but ultimately no less worthless. The teacher had stated that two students had turned in satisfactory invasion plans. One was Azula and the other was… She locked eyes with the wispy girl, sitting alone in a corner, and regally marched to her.

“Show me how you plan to conquer Ba Sing Se,” Azula said, impatiently gesturing with her hand. A good sycophant would have anticipated her wishes, and not needed the order to be made explicit. The girl’s report was thicker than the rest, and as Azula had known it would be, had been given a respectable mark of 95. She raised an eyebrow, and scanned each page slowly. Her stomach sunk. Could it be?

“Out all of you,” Azula said idly, pulling out a seat for herself. She could hear the wooden leg scraping against the gray masonry. The classroom had immediately silenced itself, in deference to their princess’s words. They knew their place, even the barbaric gray-eyed girl. “I will be having a chat with Mai.”

The classroom cleared out, but more loudly than Azula would have liked. The gray-eyed cretin led the students outside with a happy skip and a carefree smile that negated much of the fear Azula desired. She would deal with that soon enough, but for now, she had more important matters to attend to.

“Your father wrote this for you,” Azula said. The report was too meticulous to have been created by a child. The grammar was perfect, the facts were numerous and accurate, and the data was properly cited.

“You know he couldn’t have.” Mai was scowling. Scowling! Such insolence.

“And how would I know that?” Azula asked, hopping off her chair and coming closer and closer to Mai. She put a finger on her chin, and forced the wispy girl to meet her cold gaze. “Careful now. You’re speaking to your princess.”

Mai said nothing, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Seriously? You don’t know why?”

“I do not. But it does not matter, one way or the other. What matters is that your report is satisfactory,” Azula said, looking at a page covering the evaluation of the cost of the tanks needed for the operation, and the distribution lines necessary for a siege of three months, six months, and one year. “I will be taking it to my father, as an example of the good work that is being done here. Congratulations Mai Caldera.”

Azula gave Mai a friendly smile, and patted her shoulder. Reading the report it had become clear to her that the teachers of this fine institution were only giving her full marks because they feared her. That pleased her greatly, but did present a problem. She could not show her proposal to Father. It was little more than a child’s drawing, that much was obvious. Instead, she would show Mai’s paper to Father, and present it as her own. Luckily for Mai, the exact situation would likely occur again in the future. This was an ideal situation really, Azula could turn in utter garbage to the school, and simply present Mai’s work whenever Father asked for examples. The scant effort she had been putting into her assignments, could now be reduced to zero.

Mai sighed loudly, and pushed Azula’s hand off her. “Can I say no?”

“What?” Azula giggled, but her fury leaked out more and more with every word. “You would deny your princess? Your work may even be seen by The Fire Lord! And you would reject that honor?”

“No Azula.” Mai stole her report from Azula, and the traitor attempted to flee.

“Give me your work peasant!” Azula screamed, using her fury to channel a fireball at the insolent traitor. But the wispy girl cut the ball in half effortlessly, and flames erupted in the room causing powerful gales. The paper airplanes scattered throughout it started to fly and burn, and Azula trembled in terror, crawling away from the furious firebender. She’d remembered now, where she’d heard the name Mai Caldera. She was a prodigy firebender, whom Father had said was born only once in a hundred years. And now sparks were jumping from her fingers. “Please don’t hurt me!” Azula sobbed pathetically. “I meant you no harm.”

Mai looked down at Azula, her expression blank, sparks still jumping from her fingertips. “Just leave me alone!” And then the traitor fled with the report that Azula so desperately needed.

There would be some obstacles to having Mai executed. If Azula tried to involve Father, he would demand that she engage in Agni Kai with Mai, and prove her conviction through strength. Grandfather or Uncle? Uncle would be useless, but perhaps Grandfather could be manipulated. He did so fear the Air Nomads. If she could convince him that Mai was the granddaughter of an escaped airbender she would be sent to the dungeons never to see the light of day again. But she had already used that trick recently, so perhaps an earthbender would be sufficient? No, a waterbender would be better. She would start looking for a-

A burning paper airplane tumbled in front of her.

The proposal! Why was she making such plans for the future? She’d told Father her report was ready yesterday, and her only hope of meeting his expectations was being guarded by one of the most fearsome firebenders in the world. She was finished. She would be Azula the talentless, the forgotten royal, the pathetic little girl once again. She would no longer have Father’s favor. The other children would no longer fear her, for she would not be the prodigy any longer.

No, it was worse! Her lies would be exposed! She would now be considered a liar and a cheat! Father would scorn her, and if that happened… The power, the palace, the servants, the silk clothes, the honey tea, all that would go away. She would be lucky to escape the Fire Nation intact if her deception were to come to light. And it would. She needed to think of some excuse, perhaps she could claim she’d done it in five minutes, as the gray-eyed girl had, but no, Father had seen her working on the report a week ago.

A paper airplane flipped in a gust of wind.

Of course, she could say that her report had simply burnt in the… A seed of doubt burst in her chest. She snatched the airplane in front of her. Something didn’t add up. She’d misinterpreted things. She thought about what the gray-eyed girl had said, her actions, and how the skinny teacher had treated her. Azula thought about how the teacher had assumed that the girl had put real effort into her paper, and how she’d seemed physically hurt when the proposal was treated with such disregard. Azula snorted. She was overthinking things. Best to say that she’d had a fight with the firebending prodigy Mai Caldera, and her report had been burnt in the process. Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but unwrap the gray-eyed girl’s haphazard homework.

Azula’s eyes widened.

Tonight was going to be fun. The hours ticked by slowly, but eventually the family gathered together. Mother held stupid Zuzu tightly, as Father flipped through his proposal.

“Derivative drivel,” Father said dismissively, throwing it on the ground, near the raging fire surrounding him. The room was a near replication of the throne room where she would eventually sit. Father sat atop a chair on a level slightly above the rest of them, while they prostrated themselves on the straw-matted floor below. The disappointed expression on Zuzu’s face was priceless, but was marred when Mother consoled the stupid child.

“May I?” Azula asked Father politely, nodding at the report on the ground. Father agreed, and Azula read through it. Like Mai’s, the facts and the numbers had been meticulously recreated, as if it were a proposal from an actual general and not a child. It did not request for a large number of tanks, but 36 Type 97 medium tank Chi-Has. The specifics were what made both reports special, and if anything Zuzu’s proposal was even more detailed than Mai’s. If Azula had turned in the traitor’s work, she would have looked quite foolish. Still, when looked at from afar both reports were inferior recreations of Iroh’s planned siege. They were nothing special.

“You look confident Azula,” Father murmured. “Show me what you have.”

“Mine got burnt in a fire,” Azula said.

“Then state it aloud.”

“I didn’t say it was destroyed,” Azula said, smirking. She unfolded her proposal and handed it to Father. “But I felt I needed to explain its cond-”

“The penmanship is awful.This is barely legible. It looks like you wrote it with your feet.” Father scowled. “And why are the margins filled with pictures of flowers and hearts?”

“Because I like flowers and hearts daddy,” Azula said, in her most girlish voice. Agni’s ashes, why had she not rewritten the proposal? It wasn’t even that long.

“Really?” Mother asked, surprised. “I didn’t know that Azula. You’re always burning the flo-”

“Please read the proposal daddy! I worked ever so hard on it.”

Zuzu was staring at her suspiciously. She would need to be more subtle with her deception in the future, but she wasn’t worried. In this case, the truth was magnitudes more unbelievable than the lie.

“How I would liberate my future friends at Ba Sing Se,” Father read neutrally. Azula winced at the title. It was fine for Father- not great but fine- but if Grandfather heard of it he’d have Azula executed for harboring traitorous sympathies. “Ba Sing Se is a city with a really dark suspicious aura. You can’t go after somebody so guarded with a direct attack. We should get them to lower their guard first. It’s really mean, but we need to attack the small farms with the brightest auras around Ba Sing Se. ” 

Father raised an eyebrow, not bothered by the silly language and clearly intrigued with the central idea. “People love their homes and their land, but they love food more. Ba Sing Se’s largest exports are wheat and rice. If we destroy the farmlands around Ba Sing Se, the people there will be really hungry, and even though Ba Sing Se has such an ugly aura, the people will try and get inside because it has food. From there, Ba Sing Se can do two things.” 

Father’s voice became fervent. “What they’ll probably do is keep the hungry people out, which will make their aura really red. We can send spies to help darken their auras even more, until they attack the city themselves. It should be no problem for earthbenders to take down those walls. That’s when we attack, when their guard is lowered. Of course, the other option is that Ba Sing Se could allow the refugees inside. Then we’d send in a small force of elite operatives to blend in with the refugees. Once inside, we could take the city from within. So like, whatever happens, Ba Sing Se will totally be under Fire Nation rule, and its aura will brighten and everyone will be happy.”

Father burnt the proposal and hissed,“Speak of this to no one.”

But it had been a good plan! Azula had been so sure that Father would be pleased. It wasn’t fair, she should have been honored for her innovative and creative proposal! But she wasn’t stupid. She did as Mother did, and bowed her head to Father’s command.

“We have to tell Grandfather,” stupid Zuzu said. The dum-dum smiled at Azula. “It’s a great plan, way better than Uncle’s siege! Think of how many lives it’ll save, think of how many fewer Fire Nation casualties there will be! And in this plan, we’ll be seen as heroes. It’ll make the Earth Kingdom much less resistant to our rule, and help build the world great grandfather Sozin dreamed of! Sure we need to change the language a little bit, but I’m sure Grandfather will recognize its value when he hears it.”

“If I hear that the plan has leaked Zuko,” Father whispered, submerged in the shadows of the flickering flames surrounding him. “I will have you flayed and burned alive. Iroh’s siege must be authorized. It is the perfect opportunity to destroy the Fire Nation’s most dangerous enemy.”

“But isn’t Azula’s plan much better?” Zuzu asked, somehow still not understanding Father even though his words were almost traitorously direct.

“My plan does not address our enemy at all dum-dum,” Azula said, rolling her eyes. “Unless you’re really stupid enough to believe that the biggest threat to our great empire is the backwater Earth Kin-”

“Azula!” Father snapped, stopping her cold. He put out the flames, covering the room in darkness. She heard the pur from his silks sliding against each other, until he had placed both his hands on her shoulder. Into her ear he whispered, “Our enemy is not apparent to everyone. You see what others do not. You are a genius.” 

Azula’s nostrils flared, her heart fluttered, and while this was surely the most wonderful moment in her life, it was nothing compared to the words Father said next. He spoke them loudly and clearly, so they could not be misconstrued by Mother or Zuzu.

“Azula, you were born lucky. And Zuko, you were lucky to be born.”


	4. Versus Ty Lee (Part 1)

“This is not an argument, Captain,” Father said harshly, overriding the silly servant’s protests. “You will dedicate ten of your empire-class Fire Nation battleships to the blockade of Ba Sing Se’s Northern Port.”

The servant protested that it could be done with three, but Azula knew that he would be overridden. The servant lacked proper presence, no matter his title, as he had the same ridiculous sideburns as her cousin Lu Ten. Indeed, ten model warships were moved from a delta near the Northern Air Temple to Ba Sing Se. The map spread out across the table provided all the important Fire Nation admirals and generals with a visual representation of the armed forces that made the tactics and strategies more concrete. Distribution networks were represented with tiny gray lines, which made clearer the importance of certain waterways and roads. Azula was pleased to finally be here.

Father had been so impressed with her proposal that he had invited her to the next war meeting. The look on stupid Zuzu’s face had been priceless. She knew that he had begged Father for the honor for years, and here she was at a meeting before him! Still, she could not deny that one thing still bothered her: Ty Lee.

She had sent spies to gather intel on her next target by investigating the peasant’s family. The stupid chicken-monkey would not defy her like that traitor Mai! Azula would avoid controlling Ty Lee through threats of violence, nor would she bribe the girl into obedience through reward. It was as Father always said: promises of violence and money were temporary, but blackmail was forever.

Of course she did not fear that Ty Lee would say no. Of course she did not need Ty Lee to say yes. There were dozens of geniuses in the Fire Nation that would happily fulfill their princess’s desires. But that did not change the fact that it would be convenient to make the strategist her servant.

“Princess Azula,” the silly servant from earlier said, interrupting his royal kookiness. “Prince Ozai tells us that you are a brilliant strategist.”

Azula smirked. Her reputation, her power was already expanding into the military. Father had ordered her to be silent through the meeting, so she need not fear exposing her ignorance.

“I find myself in a dilemma. If my warships are taken for your Uncle’s siege, I will be left without the means to protect the Northern Air Temple,” the servant nodded at Father. “Prince Ozai, do you acknowledge that this is undesirable?”

“The Mechanist escaping Fire Nation control would be disastrous,” Father said, dipping his head. “But war is not without risks. Iroh’s siege will win us the war, and you will hold your tongue if you wish to keep it Zhao.”

“I simply wish to give the Princess an opportunity to enlighten us.” The servant smiled smugly. “Perhaps the young prodigy can provide a solution to our problem.”

“I agree,” Father said, his cold gaze resting on Azula. “Strength must be tested in the real world. Azula, speak freely.”

Her heart hammered. No words came to mind. She looked at the ships, the map, but everything was escaping her now. She did not understand the strategy. It had seemed so obvious when she was observing, but being asked to contribute…

Father was frowning.

“Look at that,” a General said, laughing. “Prince Ozai has a soft side! The way he was talking about you! Like a doting-”

“Careful General,” Father hissed. He stood up, and put a hand on Azula’s shoulder. The heat from his palm crept through her silks almost enough to burn. “Speak Azula. Show them the brilliance you showed me last night. Do not disappoint.”

“I…” Azula opened her mouth, but no words came out. It was all she could do not to run away sobbing. “We need to…”

“My niece is tired,” Uncle said. “You do not know this brother, but she often takes a nap at noon. A prodigy she may be Ozai, but she is still a child. Let me brew her some tea, and perhaps she will liven back up.”

“Azula,” Father sneered, as Uncle escorted her out of the meeting. “Don’t bother coming back.”

Azula couldn’t stop trembling in her chair, as Uncle prepared tea in his favorite outdoor patio.

“Such a beautiful day,” Uncle said cheerfully, handing her a steaming cup of her favorite honey tea. “Much better to be outside, under Agni’s light, than in that stuffy old room.”

She was lucky Father hadn’t killed her… But it was likely only a matter of time. It was over, she was exposed, he knew she was a fraud. She hoped she was simply exiled. Even living as a disgraced princess was better than death.

“I know you want to be Fire Lord,” Uncle said, sitting in the chair beside her. “Do not worry about the meeting. War is not for everyone.” He took a sip of his honey tea, and sighed with satisfaction. He leaned back in his oak chair, and stared up at the cumulus clouds. “Ba Sing Se is the last true obstacle our great nation must overcome. Once my siege is over, it will be a mere formality to conquer the world. And then what? We will have peace Azula.”

Normally she would have dismissed the looney man’s ravings as naive platitudes, but he had likely saved her life from Father only a few moments ago, so she felt charitable. She was willing to listen. “There will always be another enemy Uncle. There cannot be fire without something to burn.”

Uncle smiled, and sipped his tea, watching a flock of turtle-ducks take flight from their koi pond. “I fear you are right.” He placed his tea down on the table, got out of his chair, and stooped down to Azula’s level, foolishly relinquishing the metaphorical power his superior height had given him. “My son, Lu Ten has been raised with war. He has already seen battle, he has the mindset of a General. I cannot deny that it is in me as well. The Fire Nation will not need its next ruler to be a conqueror Azula. I do not care if you flounder in a hundred war meetings, I do not care if you lose a thousand battles, what matters is that you are a kind, stable, and above all else, a wise ruler who will bring about an era of peace and prosperity after this war is over. Convince me of that, and I will name you my successor over Lu Ten or Zuko.” Uncle left her, to return back to the war meeting.

Foolishness, from a silly man. Did Uncle really not realize the country he was running? Ruling the Fire Nation did not require kindness and wisdom but cunning and will. It was imperative that a Fire Lord earned the fear of their Generals, Admirals, and Advisors, or they would find their power in the hands of another, and their head removed from their shoulders. If Zuzu or Lu Ten did not wish for such a life, they could relinquish their claim for the throne, but of course there would always be other rivals. Just how did Uncle think their family had gained such power? Did he think it would last forever? The Fire Nation feared Grandfather. That was why he ruled. But they would never fear her fuddy-duddy Uncle. She could not oppose Uncle openly, he was first-in-line to the throne after their frail old Grandfather died. But once her name carried enough weight, once she had forged the needed connections, she would take the Fire Nation and dominate the earth! She wanted a country worthy of her, so she would support Father’s ascendance. The only question was how he was planning on doing it. A tank malfunction? A mutiny? A surprise raid?

Her Father appeared from the palace, and paced straight towards her, ignoring the dirt paths that cut through the meadow. Father towered over her, not emoting even a hint of weakness for her to work with.

“After talking with  _ Ursa _ ,” he spat Mother’s name, but every word was laced with venom. “I have realized that I was too harsh at the meeting. I upset your precious little feelings, and inhibited your ability to present even a cogent strategy. I will give you a month. I will allow Ursa to sit by your side, so you do not act like a frightened child.”

“If you dishonor me again I’ll make you a true Fire Lady, Azula.” Father knelt down, stroking Azula’s cheek softly. “Perhaps I am being circumspect, perhaps I am not making myself clear. If you do not offer value to my meeting, I will melt the fair skin off your pretty little face.”

Azula stood by the patio long after Father had left. She did not remember how long she had stood there, only that Mother eventually came to bring her to bed.

Mother smiled down at Azula, as open and friendly as if she were her stupid brother. “I did my best to-”

“You’ve killed me,” Azula said, trembling at last. “Father is going to kill me.”

“Don’t be dramatic Azula,” Mother said, sighing. She knelt and put an arm around Azula. Perhaps even yesterday it would have comforted her, but now Azula knew the truth. Mother was plotting against her. It was so obvious, she’d always favored Zuzu. Mother had chosen to eliminate her. “Father isn’t going to kill you. I won’t let him.”

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Father got what he wanted. And if he wanted Azula dead she was going to die. Perhaps she should run away? Such an option was certainly preferable to death.

“I know today didn’t go well for you Azula,” Mother said softly, stroking her hair. “But I heard your plans for Ba Sing Se. I know that you are brilliant. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine.”

Azula trembled. Be herself? She’d remembered those times, before the blue fire, before she had won Father’s favor. She had been counting down the days until Father rid himself of her. Uncle, Mother, just what kind of a world did they think they were living in? She knew the truth. The strong ruled, and the weak were crushed. The only truth was that she had a month. Then Father was going to kill her.

“I want to be closer to you Azula,” Mother said, recapturing her attention. “I want to accept your interests, military or otherwise. How about we do some gardening together?”

Azula smirked, her worries temporarily forgotten. Mother had finally given her an opportunity to prove herself! “I accept your invitation. Tomorrow we will cultivate our lands, and together we will dominate the flower garden!” Yes. Azula would show herself to be the perfect daughter by displaying to Mother her exquisite landscaping skills. 

The next morning she found that gardening was work best left to the peasantry. The flowers had already been planted, all across their meadow, and Azula could not understand the appeal of the activity. Where was the utility? By all appearances, flowers were simply colored leaves. Mother had smelled a buttercup, and Azula followed her example. She found no satisfaction. The petals did not have a strong scent, their only practical purpose being that they could be ground into a poison which could be used against enemies. After Mother had wandered around the garden aimlessly for a few minutes, apparently needing the scent of several flowers to identify them, she had given Azula her first objective. Remove the flower garden of weeds. She had shown Azula how, by pulling a thorny dandelion from the soil.

Azula struggled to understand the difference between the weeds that had to be eliminated, and the flowers they wished to keep in their glorious empire. It would have been easier if there was a rule she could use to identify between the two. But some weeds had flowers, and some of the plants they wished to keep did not. There was one, all thorny and horrible, that she just knew needed to be killed. But when she pulled on it, the traitorous stem had cut her finger. Such impertinence! She was a Princess, and the silly bush had to be destroyed. She threw a fireball at the bush, and smirked as the ill-mannered weed was reduced to cinders.

“Azula! Oh no!” Mother rushed to the fire, trying to put it out. Azula watched in satisfaction, as it spread throughout the garden, eliminating all the insurgent weeds. She had accomplished her mission quickly and thoroughly. Mother was sure to be pleased. “What have you done? You said you liked flowers, so why?”

“I have destroyed the weeds using an innovative and efficient strategy,” Azula said pleased, her hands behind her back. “I am a firebender. I do not remove weeds as a peasant would. I burn them.”

“But you destroyed the garden as well!”

“Unpreventable casualties,” Azula said smoothly. “A natural consequence of any conquest.”

Mother’s silks were stained with ash. She sighed, and brushed them off. “You’re free to go Azula.”

Azula furrowed her brow. Mother seemed upset, but why? Azula had simply completed her orders as quickly as possible. What was she missing?

“And Azula,” Mother said. “Perhaps it would be better for you to stay quiet at the meeting after all.”

“You doubt my competence?” Azula asked, the small brush fire flaring. “I will tell Father I need someone who actually cares for me at my side!”

“I do care about you Azula,” Mother whispered, surrounded by blue flames. “That is why you must be silent.”

The flames extinguished. Azula ran. Mother too. Perhaps more than Father. Mother had realized she was a fake. Worse, she knew that the plans she had made for Ba Sing Se were stolen. Mother had seen through her deception, and now thought her a fool. The deal she had made with Father, inviting Azula to the garden, Mother had killed her and taunted her, making her waste one of her last days in the palace groveling in manure. She would run away. It was the only solution.

As she was packing her bags, the operative she had sent to investigate Ty Lee returned. Of course! Ty Lee! She was not yet defeated. If Ty Lee were at the meeting with her, she could whisper answers into her ear, and Azula would appear the genius Father required. There was one problem of course. Obedience was completely indispensable to the plan. It would require Ty Lee’s loyalty, because without total submission, Azula’s deceit would be exposed. Truly Azula was blessed though, for she knew exactly how loyalty was taken: fear. 

“Talk, peasant,” she commanded her operative.

The man dipped his head. He was covered from head to toe in black cloth, even his face was concealed. His voice was low and raspy, and he certainly looked the part of a useful servant, but now it was time for him to prove his value. “Ty Lee is not a firebender. And while she has expressed interest in gymnastics, she was pushed to advance her talents in engineering, math, science, business, and military strategy instead. She comes from an impressive line of geniuses, but her family is not Fire Nation. Not pure Fire Nation I should say. She has trace amounts of Air Nomad in her from before the cleansing, as well as a grandmother who was part Earth Kingdom. The family rose in prominence because of her uncle, who is the Fire Nation’s top engineer. Ty Lee has six identical sisters, the one who comes closest to her unique intelligence is Ty Liu, who works with their uncle in the Northern Air Tem-”

“Good work,” Azula said, handing the servant a small leather pouch full of golden coins. She needed him no longer, he had served his function. The man in black threw something at the rock masonry, and disappeared in a flash of smoke. 

The servant would need to be more discerning in the future. After he had discovered Ty Lee’s impure bloodline he should have returned. The rest of his intel was superfluous. But being more thorough than necessary, while unacceptable, could be tolerated. It was as Father said: humans were imperfect tools, and delicate. So long as they performed their minimum requirements it was best not to break them.

Azula adjusted her bangs, smirking at her reflection. With the information she had, she would be able to control the barbaric chicken-monkey like a puppet. At the next war meeting, she would have the clever Ty Lee by her side rather than treacherous Mother, whispering brilliance into her ears. It had been a stroke of genius to dismiss Mother from her side, and Azula knew that she had planned all this subconsciously from the beginning. Even if she was unaware of her own machinations, Azula was predetermined to rule. Talented. Gifted. It was her destiny to rule the Fire Nation. Agni had placed that fat instructor to teach her blue fire, and gifted her with Ty Lee’s brilliance when she most required it. She would astonish the Generals, make Uncle eat his words, and Father…

She would make him pay for treating her with such contempt.

**Author’s Note:** Sorry for the long wait. I’ll be releasing the next two parts weekly.


End file.
